


my heart’s a stereo (it beats for you so listen close)

by mikeycliffords



Series: coffee shop fic [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Theyre not in a band, and a lot of luke being sad or anxious and self deprecating, and i also have no ideas how tags work, and kind of a college au, ashton and calum are mentioned like twice they're barely in it, coffee shop au??, i guess, like not at all, so. yes, thats about it lads, theres not really any warnings besides like a minor mention of drug use in the first few paragraphs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25827241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikeycliffords/pseuds/mikeycliffords
Summary: there, in michael’s scrawled writing was the word puke. luke knew there was a running joke about how starbucks workers didn’t give two shits about trying to spell someone’s name right, but last time he checked, michael didn’t work at starbucks and it was a little difficult to mix up luke with puke.— luke couldn’t help the fact that his eyesight was kind of shit and that he’d been up all night writing a new song so he’d been even more sleep deprived than he usually was, he really couldn’t. and maybe it was a little rude that he’d accidentally read off the cute campus coffee shop employee’s name as michelle instead of michael, but he didn’t mean to, honestly. and he definitely didn’t deserve the bullying he was forced to endure every time he tried to get a coffee and michael was on shift.(or: the coffee shop fic.)
Relationships: Michael Clifford/Luke Hemmings
Series: coffee shop fic [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879486
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	my heart’s a stereo (it beats for you so listen close)

When Luke woke up, he could already tell that it was going to be a god awful day.

His cheek was squished against his trusty lyric book, drool ruining the slightly crumpled piece of paper that he’d been in the process of scribbling over before evidently falling asleep. He lifted his head, already regretting it as soon as he’d done it. His head ached and he was pretty sure that the small movement caused an earthquake in his mind or something, and the waves must have echoed down his body because he was sure his stomach turned.

Luke had a lot of regrets. He regretted that late night joint he’d smoked in hopes of it tiring him out ― honestly, it did the exact opposite, which he was always surprised by despite it happening anytime he got the slightest bit high ― since all it did was give him a rare drop of inspiration and he immediately felt compelled to try and write a new song.

He also regretted staying up so late trying to write said song, as well as the fact that he managed to fall asleep sitting upright at his desk using his lyric book as a pillow. It was pretty bulky, so it wasn't like it was the most uncomfortable thing that he’d slept on. But a proper pillow would always be better, and a mattress was far more suited to sleeping than the uncomfortable desk chair in his college dorm. It was just a bit of a shame to sleep in a rigid desk when there was a bed about four foot away from it.

Luke rubbed at his eyes, letting out a quiet groan as he sat up properly. He ran a hand through his curls, wincing a little when his fingers caught on a couple of unexpected knots. That hurt like a bitch. He needed a coffee and to put his contacts in, not in that order. He didn't really fancy the idea of stumbling his way over to the campus coffee shop and probably ending up trampling on some poor kid sitting by the grass or something because he wasn't looking where he was going. Granted, Luke usually ended up tripping over at least something once a day. But he’d rather it not be an actual person.

He glanced at the crumpled page of his notebook, a little torn from where he’d apparently tried to turn over in his sleep but his sweaty face had gotten stuck to the page. The ink of the lyrics had bled into the page slightly, probably from him drooling all over them, and it was barely attached to the book anymore, but he left it in there anyway. The lyrics weren't half bad, apparently his three am stoned self was slightly more talented than the current version of Luke. Maybe if he wasn't so exhausted after his classes and the essay that he definitely didn't have to finish (or write) then he’d rewrite it on a page that wasn't in danger of becoming lost.

He spun around in his chair ― which, by the way, was another thing to add to his list of regrets ― and tried to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach when he did that. Luke’s college dorm was pretty small and sad, not unlike his childhood self. All that was in it was a bed, a desk and his wardrobe. It was kind of void of any sentimental stuff besides a few framed family photos on his nightstand and his guitar. Everything else was pretty much at home, which was where he wanted to be too.

It wasn't that Luke didn't like college, he did. His teachers were all really nice, and being an English literature major was... fun. But he missed his friends, and he missed his dog and he especially missed that small feeling of freedom that he got every time he clumsily ducked out of his window and sat on his roof, glancing at the sky every few moments as he wrote lyrics to songs he’d always be too afraid to sing in front of everyone. Everyone spoke about how college would be this new exciting feeling of freedom, but Luke didn't feel free. He just felt alone and secluded. Suffocated in the dingy beige walls of his dorm room.

As with everything else, Luke decided that coffee was the solution to every single one of his problems. In reality it’d probably only give him a terrible case of the jitters and an inability to focus in his ten am lecture, but that was a problem for future Luke to deal with. This Luke was selfish and self serving and definitely deserved coffee.

He stood up a little awkwardly, deciding that the sweatpants and band tee that he’d fallen asleep in were clean enough for the coffee shop employees. They’d seen him at his worst, after all. The freshman who worked the first shift when the shop opened at five am had seen him half drunk wearing a shirt coated in his and Calum’s sick once, so he wasn't really scared of judgement about his clothes anymore.

Luke made his way over to his dresser, hands reaching for his box of contact lenses. Shit. Either he was more blind than he’d thought or he was all out. He’d been sure that he had enough left to get him through the week, but maybe he’d miscounted. It wasn't like maths was his strong suit, after all. Normally he would’ve just dealt with being self conscious and put his glasses on, but they were kind of broken and he was too busy to get them fixed. It wasn't that bad, he’d only sat on them a few months ago.

After a moment of contemplating if he really needed to exist today or if it was perfectly acceptable to just go to bed and sleep his way through all of his responsibilities, Luke decided that if anything was worth probably tripping over someone and humiliating himself, it was coffee. Anyway, it wasn't like his eyesight was really all that blind. He was just a little short-sighted. Or long-sighted. He’d never really been able to remember the difference.

He tugged a hoodie over his head, and managed to almost break his ankle trying to pull on his converse, and headed out. Luke always preferred going out in the mornings. Or he preferred going to the coffee shop in the morning at least. That was really the only place he went besides from his classes and the library. He didn't exactly have a huge amount of friends, honestly. He was pretty sure the most he’d said to anyone was the time he’d accidentally stumbled over his words and fucked up his coffee order and had to repeat it twice. That’d been something he’d thought about and hated himself over for the entire day, just because of how completely awkward it’d been.

But mornings were fine. He could pull the hood up on his hoodie, avoid making eye contact and accidentally look approachable and hopefully be the only person in the coffee shop besides the staff. If he was lucky. From the ten minutes he’d been awake, he really doubted that he would be.

* * *

Luke managed to get to the coffee shop without breaking any bones or injuring himself in an especially bad way. He’d bumped his elbow against a tree and it’d probably bruise, but it was okay. He was used to being covered in bruises, and most of them he wasn't even too sure where he’d got them from. They just appeared all over him, Ashton used to joke that he was like a peach or something.

The campus coffee shop was pretty small and dingy in comparison to the school that Luke attended. But it was nice. It was warm and cosy and for some reason it reminded Luke of the one him and his friends used to meet outside of before walking to school together. They’d spent most of their weekends there, getting shouted at for not actually ordering anything ― which almost always prompted Calum to order about half a dozen donuts and stuff his face with them ― so maybe it wasn't so surprising that it was one of the only places where he felt even slightly happy.

He just didn't like college that much. It sucked. He wasn't really too sure why anyone would willingly go to college, but then again, he was one of those strange people who’d willingly gone to college. He really wanted to be a musician. Him, Calum and Ashton had a band, but nothing had really ever happened with it. They’d played a couple of gigs and even posted a few YouTube covers but... being a musician was kind of just a pipe dream for Luke. He’d never really let go of the wistful childhood expectations that you might really get to live out your dream one day.

Luke opened the door of the coffee shop, trying to ignore the half-stifled laughs of whoever was behind the counter when he accidentally pushed instead of pulled and almost fell over. As soon as he stepped inside, he was enveloped into the immediate warmth of the coffee shop, like he’d stepped into a nice perfect bubble of happiness without really even realising it. He closed the door behind him, glancing around to see if his usual table was free. And luckily, it was. Maybe his day wouldn't be so bad after all. He could get a coffee and be ready for the day, and maybe he had enough change in his jean pockets to pick up a pizza later. That’d be nice.

Thankfully the shop was empty, just like he’d hoped it’d be. The only person in the shop was someone behind the counter, not so conspicuously scrolling through their phone under the counter. Luke wasn't even sure what time it was. Probably not one where people usually chose to drink coffee.

“Uh, hi,” Luke glanced at the name tag, squinting a little as he struggled to read it. “...Michelle, is it? Uh, can I get an extra large caramel latte please? With uh, whipped cream.” 

‘Michelle’ put their phone away, letting out another annoying laugh. “It’s Michael, actually. Unless my parents have been playing a fucking joke on me all these years and I’m secretly called Michelle.”

Shit. Luke wanted to fucking die. Maybe that was a tad bit dramatic, but this was so fucking awkward. He couldn't remember a more awkward situation he’d been in than this one. And it wasn't like he could just do what he usually did and apologise, leave the shop and never come back again. This was his favourite coffee shop. If he didn't come to this one, the next closest was a fifteen minute walk away, and that was far too much effort for him.

He glanced at Michael, offering him a sheepish smile. Michael didn't look too annoyed or anything. He looked more amused than anything. Like Luke’s inner torment was some kind of funny joke to him. “Do you want it to go or are you gonna stay and misread my name some more?”

Luke frowned a little, swallowing and thinking about his answer for a moment. On one hand, he’d been hoping to sit in his favourite corner booth and enjoy his coffee. That’d be far better than awkwardly sipping it whilst walking, risking dropping a far too expensive drink all over himself and then going back to the same four walls he’d stared at for the past few months.

“Hello? Are you deaf as well as blind or something?” Michael snorted at his own joke, and Luke wasn't so amused but he didn't want to piss him off anymore, so he just kept his mouth shut.

“Shit, sorry. I daydream a little.” He gave him another sheepish smile. “To go, thanks.”

Michael just nodded, scanning over his order that he’d written on a little notepad without Luke even noticing and totaling the price up. “Name?”

He glanced at Michael’s lips as he spoke, not sure what he was asking for a moment. Maybe he’d just been distracted. Michael’s lips were kind of nice, honestly. They were the same shade of pink as his hair and they kept quirking into an annoying little smile that’d be kind of adorable if Luke wasn't definitely sure that Michael was making fun of him in his mind or something.

“Uh― Luke. I’m Luke.”

Michael’s lips did that stupid half smile again. “Nice to meet you Luke,” he wrote something else down on his notepad.

Luke just nodded, running a hand through his curls. Maybe he should've brushed his hair before leaving his dorm or something. Or actually looked in a mirror. He was pretty sure his hair was awful compared to Michael’s. His was pink and looked like fucking cotton candy, and Luke’s probably looked like he’d just been pulled through a hedge backwards. “Nice to meet you too, Michelle.” Fuck, he should be banned from talking. Someone just needed to remove his vocal cords right now.

Michael’s green eyes narrowed. They were a pretty colour, actually. Luke just wished he didn't get an intense feeling of dread and panic in his chest when looking at them. “I― That wasn't on purpose, I promise. I meant Michael, I’m just really fucking dumb.”

He just rolled his stupidly pretty green eyes. “That’ll be £4.35, please.”

Luke’s head tilted to the side like a puppy, and he gave him a confused look. “You’re charging me for an awkward interaction?”

“Mate, I’m charging you for your coffee.” Michael’s face was a little unreadable, like he was trying to figure out if Luke was really that dumb or if he was just trying to be a dick.

“Right, sorry.” He pulled his card out of his pocket, mentally preparing himself for it to get cancelled or something even though he was pretty sure he had at least twenty quid in there. So he should be fine. He slipped his card in the machine which Michael had so kindly moved over, and punched the pin in as quickly as he could. He did it wrong at first, but it was fine. He was just hyper aware of Michael glancing up at him as he lazily grabbed the largest to go cup and grabbed a sharpie, scribbling something down on it.

Luke tried his best not to stare at Michael like some sort of gormless pigeon eyeing up a Gregg’s sausage roll, but he couldn't help it. He was probably the prettiest coffee shop worker that he’d ever seen, honestly. Even if he kind of looked like he was still stuck in his emo phase and thought My Chemical Romance were the greatest band to grace the earth. He wasn't sure he could ever be attracted to something as dumb and trivial as the way that somebody made coffee, but seeing Michael fumble his way around the tiny area behind the counter was kind of endearing.

“You know, you’re supposed to wait by the other counter to pick up your drink.” Michael’s attractiveness was kind of ruined whenever he opened a mouth and let out a snide comment. If they ever went out on a date, Luke would definitely have to ask him to just avoid speaking to him the entire time. Not that they’d ever go on a date. Michael seemed like he was more inconvenienced by his existence than thankful for it.

He just nodded, shuffling over to where he knew he was supposed to stand. It wasn't like it was a huge deal that he’d stayed by the counter. He really doubted anyone else would come in for a while so it wasn't like Michael would need to take anyone else’s order. He was just being a dick.

“You nearly done?” He asked, glancing at Michael who was putting a plastic lid on his cup. The pink haired boy raised his brows as if to say ‘What does it look like?’ and passed the cup to him.

Their fingers brushed together for barely a fragment of a second but Luke was pretty sure that his heart had almost given out and he’d forgotten how to breath for a moment.

“Sugar’s over there,” Michael halfheartedly directed Luke in the direction of the small area filled with different types of sugar in little packets. Luke wasn't too sure what kind of heathen would drink brown sugar in their coffee. Probably Michael, now that he thought about it.

He chewed on his lip as he put far too many sugars in, avoiding the amused look Michael gave him as he struggled to get the lid back onto his coffee. He wasn't sure how Michael made it look so easy. It was fucking difficult. He had to worry about gripping the cup so hard that boiling hot coffee scalded his skin, whilst also trying his best not to ruin the whipped cream tower that Michael had seemed to put a lot of effort into.

He managed it eventually, a small victory in his favour that made the day a little less awful. He was just about to head out of the shop and struggle opening the door when Michael shouted his name.

He swore he could hear his heart beating in his chest at how perfect his name had sounded coming from Michael’s mouth. 

Luke had never really been the biggest fan of his name, honestly. Everyone assumed it was short for Lucas, and it was just the most uninteresting name in the world. You couldn't exactly shorten it to anything. Michael’s name had boatloads of potential for nicknames. Mikey, Mike, Michelle.

“You’ve got pen on your face, by the way. Just a little by your cheek.” Michael pointed to the spot on his own face where the pen smudge allegedly was, giving him a shit eating grin.

Great. Another reason for Luke to hate himself. “Why didn't you tell me?” He pouted a little without thinking, free hand moving to wipe at his cheek.

Michael (Maybe Luke would get to call him Mikey one day. Nicknames were nice and intimate, he wouldn't be able to call him Mikey out of the blue right now, but maybe he’d be able to eventually, with a bit of luck) just did that dumb laugh that was a mixture between a snort and a scoff, and moved out from around the counter with a wet rag in his hand. 

He got so close that Luke could feel his warm breath hitting his chin and smell the piece of gum that he’d been not so discreetly chewing the entire time Luke had been in the shop. His free hand moved to Luke’s upper arm, stilling him when he instinctively shifted away from him. “God, stay still for a moment, won't you?” His lips did that annoying thing again, only he was so close that he was kind of blurry. That didn't stop Luke from thinking about kissing him though.

Fuck, what was wrong with him. You couldn't just have fantasies about kissing a stranger ten minutes after meeting him. That was just creepy. And Luke was pretty sure that Michael wouldn't be fantasising about kissing him. That’d never happen.

“You’re a mess,” Michael said, tone fonder than it should be as he gently wiped Luke’s cheek. It tickled, and the rag was kind of soft and awkwardly damp, but he didn't dare try and shift away from him.

They stared at each other for a moment, the rag forgotten completely in Michael’s hand. And then Luke had to ruin it like he always did.

“Uh... coffee. It’ll um, be getting cold. And I can't drink it if you’re this close to me, night spill it on you.” Luke really questioned sometimes whether the part of his brain that controlled his speech was defective or something, causing him to just spit out random bullshit. 

Thankfully, Michael laughed that stupid laugh ― honestly, didn't he know how to make another noise? ― and took a nice, safe step backwards. “I’ll see you sometime?”

Luke just nodded like an idiot and moved back a little too, almost falling through the door. Luckily he caught himself. Push, not pull, he reminded himself. He was a mess, just like Michael had said. He didn't even know how to open a fucking door.

But it was fine. Everything was fine.

He offered Michael an awkward wave, making a mental note to add that to his list of regrets for the day. He headed back towards his dorm, raising the cup to his lips and getting ready to drink.

There, in Michael’s scrawled writing was the word Puke. Luke knew that there was a running joke about how Starbucks workers didn't give two shits about trying to spell someone’s name right. But last time he checked, Michael didn't work at Starbucks and it was a little difficult to mix up Luke with Puke. Especially after he’d heard Luke awkwardly say his name like, three times. 

In other news, he was a dick and Luke was definitely going back tomorrow for a coffee.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Luke had spent every morning that week in the coffee shop. He just liked coffee, it had nothing to do with the pink haired boy with the dumb smile who started his shift at eight am but usually arrived there at seven fifty five because he liked to take his time putting on his apron and name tag. He just liked coffee a lot. And maybe the company that he gained whilst drinking his coffee (which he’d been doing since his third day of seeing Michael) was just a nice bonus.

So far, Michael had kept up with the dumb names written on his cup. And even when he’d been staying in the coffee shop, Michael ― or Mikey, as he’d started calling him now ― would still yell out annoying names like Lucifer, Fluke or his personal favourite ‘Soup’ just to tease him and make him blush. 

But it was nice. Even though he always rolled his eyes and called him a dick, he enjoyed the teasing. It was nice, being bullied by Michael. Now that he knew he didn't actually hate him, even if he was definitely a little salty about being called Michelle, Luke didn't worry as much when he made those sarcastic comments. He even laughed at a few of them.

But of course his luck had to run out eventually.

When he turned up to the coffee shop at eight am sharp on a Saturday morning, Michael wasn't there. He wasn't behind the counter. He wasn't wiping down a table whilst humming under his breath and he definitely wasn't sitting outside with a poorly disguised joint before his shift started. The pink hair was nowhere in sight, there was even someone else behind the counter.

Luke was pretty sure he’d seen her a couple of times in the shop, maybe even in a few classes, but he honestly couldn't remember her name. He was pretty bad with names, especially when the only one that made his ears perk up recently was Michael.

“Hi, what can I get you?” Her smile was warm and cosy, not unlike the coffee shop. It just made Luke miss Michael’s smile, the one he always rolled his eyes at and acted like he hated. What was he supposed to do with this new smile? Smile back?

“Uh, Michael?” His face flushed immediately as he watched the girl’s face morph into a slightly bewildered expression. “Uh, I don’t― I don’t want Mikey. He’s gross, ew. I just wanted to know where he is, if um, that’s okay? I thought he’d be here.”

She just shrugged, “He doesn't work on the weekends, sorry.”

Luke’s face dropped instantly. That was a fucking shame. He wasn't really sure what he was going to do now that sitting at the table closest to Michael and ordering a new coffee every half an hour because he forgot about it ― definitely not because he was too busy talking and staring at Mikey ― and it went about as cold as the world outside of his nice coffee shop bubble.

Not to mention, the idea of Michael existing outside of the coffee shop wasn't too nice. Luke had kind of forgotten that he didn't just exist to serve coffee to people. He didn't even have his number, although Michael had taken his last night and set his name as ‘Soup’ with a stupid heart emoji that’d admittedly made Luke’s heart jump in his chest. He didn't know what Michael studied or where he lived or where he was even from. He’d just kind of figured his only aspiration in life was serving coffee to idiots like Luke and being the cutest person in the universe.

“If it’s really that important he mentioned that he lives in Stevenson Hall. I’m sure he won't mind you dropping by or something,” she offered him a kind smile. 

“Right, yeah. I might do that.” Maybe. Or maybe he’d just start avoiding the boy who had a life outside of coffee shops and more importantly Luke. God, he really couldn't believe that he’d expected him to be working. Or maybe even mention that he didn't work weekends. He’d just wished that they could've carried on their small barely-there flirts inside the safe haven of the shop without ever having to worry about actually leaving the shop. Luke wouldn't even know what to say to Michael besides ‘can I get a large latte, please’ because he was that boring.

But he headed to Stevenson Hall anyway.

Maybe it was the part of him that was self sabotaging, or maybe he really did like Michael that much, but he really didn't want to spend the rest of the day moping because he hadn't seen him yet. He just missed his face and his dumb laugh and it was oddly disappointing to have to deal with not seeing someone when you were fully convinced that you’d get to.

He wasn't exactly sure what he’d be saying to Michael, or how he’d even figure out which dorm room he lived in. He just hoped that Michael didn't think he was some terrifying stalker. He probably did already, honestly. He’d drank more coffee in the past week than he ever had in his entire life, Michael probably thought he was the creepiest guy on earth or he had a severe caffeine addiction.

Stevenson Hall was pretty much a carbon copy of his own hall, but it was still confusing. Luke’s brows furrowed as he wandered around for a moment, trying to pick out a door that screamed ‘Michael’ and gain the courage to knock on it.

It was a little tricky when every single door looked exactly the same.

He felt the small, anxious voice in his head telling him not to even bother looking for Michael and that he should just wait to see him on Monday. He’d definitely think he was a creep for trying to track him down in his dorm room. Luke wasn't a creep, honestly. He just... wanted to see him. Maybe he liked him a little, or maybe Michael was pretty much the only person on the entire campus that was the least bit interesting, but he couldn't just go back home and do absolutely fuck all for the rest of the day.

He noticed someone around his way locking his dorm room door, and he figured _fuck it_. There wasn't any way to find out which room was Mikey’s besides just asking. Well, on the other hand he could knock on every door until he found him but that seemed like the more difficult option of the two.

“Uh, hi. Do you know where Michael lives?” Luke just really hoped that this guy didn't assume he was a fucking stalker or something. Maybe he was a stalker. Finding out which hall someone lived in and trying to track them down seemed like a pretty stalkery thing to do, honestly.

“Clifford? Yeah, right there.” Oh. That was simpler than he’d expected it to be, honestly.

Maybe the universe didn't hate him as much as he thought it did.

Luke took himself across the hall, raising his hand and knocking three times against Michael’s door before he had a chance to get anxious and panic over it. He could just do first and regret later. That’d hopefully work.

It’d been two minutes (Luke might’ve counted in his head) and Michael still hadn't come to the door yet. He knocked once more, slightly more hesitant that the first time. God, a few people in the hallway were starting to give him odd looks because they definitely didn't recognise him. Maybe Mikey wasn't even there, or maybe he’d been given the wrong room or maybe he somehow knew it was Luke at the door and―

Michael opened the door. He was wearing a warm jumper that covered his hands and it slipped down his wrist slightly when he rubbed his eyes. He kind of looked like a sleepy kitten, actually. All soft and cute, and not mean at all. Although, Luke had gotten to know Michael enough by chatting to him between his classes and sips of coffee to know that he was more of a grumpy and perpetually irritated cat than a cute kitten. But maybe he could be both.

“Hi?” Luke offered weakly. It kind of seemed like he’d woken Mikey up. His hair was messier than usual and he kind of looked exhausted. God, it was just after eight am on a Saturday, nobody in their right mind was awake at that time. Did that mean Luke was insane? Well, he had just turned up to an almost-friend’s house for no reason at eight am and accidentally woken him up, so maybe.

The scowl on Michael’s face softened a little after a moment, when his tired mind had seemed to process the fact that it was Luke at his door and not someone else. “Oh, hey Soup. Did you figure out my bank details as well as my address?”

He stepped back a bit, heading back over to his bed. Luke figured that was his cue to come inside. Michael’s dorm room was a little bigger than his own, and a lot more decorated. There were posters on the walls of bands that he didn't recognise ― besides Green Day, that is ― and it just seemed very... Michael. It was cluttered and nice and maybe bordering on a little bit messy with some clothes tossed carelessly on the carpet and a duvet cover that looked like it definitely needed to be cleaned, but Luke didn't mind.

“Uh, I didn't like, stalk you or anything. I stopped by the coffee shop for uh... coffee, and when I didn't see you there I decided to come uh, find you. Some girl told me you live here. And some guy out in the hall said that this was your room so...” Luke’s face flushed a little, and he averted his eyes to look anywhere other than Michael. 

There was a philosophy book on his desk, open to a page that had been more highlighted than not. Michael didn't really scream ‘philosophy major’ but maybe he was. Luke didn't know that much about him, after all.

Michael just nodded, still holding onto Luke’s hand. “So what happened to your coffee, then? You really abandoned your favourite thing in the world to come see me?” Luke just frowned at him, not too sure what he meant by his favourite thing when his favourite thing right now was clearly Michael. Or maybe it was a bit soon to think about things like that. 

“I guess, yeah.” He nodded, letting out a slightly nervous laugh.

Mikey just did that dumb laugh that was more of a snort than anything, arching his brow. “So, does that mean you like me more than coffee?”

Luke was nodding before he even realised it. He did a lot of things without realising them, honestly. He was pretty sure that the part of his brain that made smart decisions was just kind of defective. Or maybe all of his brain was defective. He wouldn't be surprised, honestly. “Uh, I guess. Yeah.”

The pink haired boy grinned, a proper one this time, and Luke was pretty sure he liked this even more than the dumb half smile he did. “Well, if it means anything I like you more than coffee too.” 

He just nodded again. Maybe the part of his brain that controlled the nodding was broken as well. Luke was just reduced to a pile of melted whipped cream around Michael.

“Maybe we should go get some coffee. Since you left without picking up a latte and all,” Michael squeezed his hand gently, giving him another one of those grins. Those were definitely his favourites.

”That sounds perfect,” Luke said, giving him a dimpled smile that was pretty much reserved for Michael and Michael only. Coffee and Michael was his favourite combo, although it’d be a little weird to actually drink his coffee with Michael instead of ignoring his coffee whilst staring at him. 

Michael just started to lead him in the direction of the door, and then all the way back to the coffee shop. Perhaps their love could only exist within the four walls of the small campus coffee shop, but that was okay. Luke didn't mind at all.

**Author's Note:**

> deleted the original note bc I can this is my fic I do what I want anyway. come talk 2 me on [tumblr](https://mikeycliffords.tumblr.com) we can talk shit abt my bad fics n severe mental health issues it'll b fun


End file.
